Chronicles of the Future
by Violet-The-Bat
Summary: When the kids return to the museum, La Muerte and Xibalba decide to let them meet the three amigos in person! Only, after the first story, the future of the three turned out to be a very sad one; Manolo is locked in a mental place, Maria lives alone, and Joaquin is in a nursing house. Will the children be allowed to rewrite the future for Maria Manolo and Joaquin? Let's find out!
1. Chapter 1: Three Amigos Alive?

Who? What? Where? When? Part 1

May 5, the anniversary of _Cinco de Mayo. _As the bright sun colored school bus pulled up to the museum, the detention kids were stricken with incredible memories; they remembered November 2nd. That day will always be with them.

It was on that day they met the beautiful and myterious Mary Beth. A woman with blazing red hair, sea washed eyes, and a very tranquil personality.

But then again, that wasn't her REAL beauty. Under that puzzling mystique sat the gorgeous La Muerte. She had to keep herself in disguise for obvious reasons. And then there was that mean security guard.

Only that wasn't a security guard. And he wasn't mean. He was Xibalba, a true spirit if mischief, and the husband of La Muerte.

Of course, the kids didn't go blurting out to everyone they knew of the employees' true identities. They wanted to see the two all the time, and away from chaos.

Once they climbed of the bus, Mary Beth was standing out there waiting for them.

"Hey Kids!"

"Hi, La Muer- I mean, Mary Beth!" Sasha yelled.

"I'm guessing you're all here for a field trip."

"Yep. You guessed it." Said Luke.

"Well, you know the drill." Mary Beth held up that blue and white sign of hers that read 'Follow Me'

They all ran up the entrance stairs and towards the secret door. Hopefully, the tour guide had another wonderful story about Manolo, Maria, and Joaquin.

"Hold on, children, where do you think you're going?"

"To the San Angel wing!" They yelled

The mysterious lady smirked. She was surprised they still remembered.

"Alright, stay close." She said as she powered up her flashlight and took point in the group.

The old security guard met up with them in the hall and followed to hear the story too. Of course, since no one else patrolled that area, the two were free to be rid of their human disguises.

They gasped in awe. Last time, they only got to see the gods from the school bus, and now, here they were alive and well; they stood high above the little group like skyscrapers covering small, little animals.

La Muerte looked just as pretty as she did in the mural on the tree of life in the San Angel wing. And Xibalba looked very spine chilling, but he was different, now. He looked spooky, but really remained a real kind being.

While most of the kids stared at La Muerte, poor Xibalba was pretty much being followed all over the place by that weird little goth kid, Luke.

He did his best to ignore the little one, but failed.

"Will you please stop staring at me?"

"I'm sorry; you're just so...cool!"

Once again he nervously joined the queen by her side.

"So my love, what story do we have for our guests, today?"

"Well, maybe we should tell them the story of Manolo and Carmen during the Mexican Revolution."

"That story is so sad; why not something funny?"

Luke spoke up.

"Wow, it sounds like there's a lot of stories for the Three Amigos; I really wish that we were born around the time they were alive."

Sasha didn't understand.

"You mean they're dead?"

"Of course they're dead! The story took place way too long ago for them to be alive. Anyway, if they were alive, they'd at least be 100 years old."

Xibalba gave his wife an odd look. She shook her head. His eyes begged. She shook her head. He formed his lips in a sad manner. She shook her head.

"Please, Mi Amor!"

"Balby, no!"

The kids were interested.

"What's wrong?"

Xibalba looked at La Muerte one more time.

"Ugghh, fine."

The two gods shrunk down to the height of normal people, and were now in a new human masquerade. They both looked like nurses. Now things really didn't make any sense. Why are they wearing different disguises? And what was up with all that weird facial language between them?

Xibalba cleared it up.

"You see, Children, we want to make your wish come true. It turns out the Three Amigos are still alive."

"HUH?!"

"They all have their own space now."

"You mean Maria and Manolo aren't married anymore?"

"Sadly, yes. Maria and Manolo had a real strain on their marriage when General Posada died. Manolo was there with him when it happened and he was blamed for the death. Joaquin's strong and youthful spirit was broken when the two split up. He now lives in a nursing home down the street, Manolo is locked up in an insane asylum, and Maria has a nice house a few blocks over."

So, they really were so close, and yet so far.

"We're going to take you to meet them."

All the kids got excited.

They were about to meet their heroes in real life.


	2. Chapter 2: The Ex-Hero

CHRONICLES OF THE FUTURE PART 2

"The Ex-Hero"

The children were formed in a single-file type fashion when they followed the gods out the door. Their minds were racing with extreme sadness, and shock. Maria and Manolo no longer in love? Joaquin's spirit broken? That's too sad.

It took them no longer than fifteen minutes to reach the nursing home that La Muerte and Xibalba were talking about.

"Remember, my name is not La Muerte in this disguise; my name is Kate."

"And my name is Ron." Xibalba said.

The kids gave them a face that told them they understood. Then, they walked in. Like usual, the nursing place was depressing in some wings, and very much alright in other wings of the building. They walked and walked until they found a large room with eight men seated around a table playing cards and watching the game on the tv next to them.

La Muerte pointed at the man wearing the purple uniform. That was Joaquin. He looked very broken and sad while the other men were laughing and talking. Before the the tour group entered, another nurse dashed by and walked over to Joaquin.

"Mr. Mondragon, it's time for your lunch." He looked up at her with daggers in his eyes.

"You know I don't eat."

"You have to, sir."

He rolled his eyes and snatched the nearby walking cane.

"Fine."

The gods and kids waited for a few minutes after Joaquin was settled into bed with the tray of food on his lap with the TV playing. He hadn't eaten in a few days and was now letting the scent and look of the delicious food get to his hunger.

Finally letting go of his pride for an hour, he ate and enjoyed the taste. Then heard a knock.

"What do you want?!" he angrily yelled.

"You have some visitors, Mr. Mondragon."

Visitors? Nobody ever visited him. Gasp! What if it was Maria and Manolo? Had they finally gotten back together, so he could go to the Land of the Remembered in peace? He sat up more, and switched off the tv.

"Alright!" he said.

His face dropped when he saw it wasn't his friends.

"Get out of my room! The news is playing."

"I'd have respect if I were you. Kate said.

"Why?"

The human spun and her human look was gone. La Muerte was now in the room; her husband had changed too.

"La Muerte? Xibalba? Why are you here with these kids?"

"They came here to find out what happened in the early years after the Dia de los Muertos with Chakal."

"Oh. Well, I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh, please?!" The kids whined.

"Wait, they know that story?"

"Joaquin, there is a secret wing at the museum up the street that holds all the information."

"The Book of Life?"

"Yes."

"Huh. And here I thought the world had missed a good story."

"Only these kids know." She said pointing down at the tour group.

Joaquin put the food away.

"Well, after the Day of the Dead, a few years went by, and Manolo and Maria were visiting General Posada for his birthday. Manolo chose to spend some father-son time with him, because Carlos was dead. Anyway, I don't know all that much about what happened because I wasn't there. I arrived, and the General was drowning in a pool of his own blood. Manolo didn't say anything. I thought it was his fault, too."

"Tell us more?" Xibalba said.

"No, I'm gonna take a nap." Joaquin said. He obviously was trying to get out of talking to hide his tears.

"Let's leave him, Children." Said La Muerte.

While the group exited, each kid one by one yelled their own tribute to the ex-hero.

"JOAQUIN!" They all yelled.

He smiled and responded by repeating it , and sounding just like he did when he was young.

While they walked out, the kids kept talking about how sad it it was to see him like that.

"It's too bad he wasn't there when General Posada was in trouble." Said Luke.

"Alright, we're going to our next stop." Xibalba said

"Who are we meeting now?"

"Manolo."

That meant they were on their way to an insane asylum. Oh, boy.


	3. Chapter 3: Crazy Town

CHAPTER 3: Crazy Town

Manolo had been placed into this insane institution a long time ago. This poor man's probably been here for years; missing out on holidays and the outside world in general. The kids made sure in staying close to their guides when they entered the place. Everywhere were people staying in one spot; either talking to themselves, or plainly just rocking back and forth where they were.

The long hallway had steel doors with a single window the size of an average person's face. Crazy laughter and yelling flooded out of the rooms with a spine tingling echo. Some people ran to the windows and tried to snatch at the kids, for the sake of scaring them.

Some rooms didn't even have a window. Some were entirely padded and held patients wearing straight jackets. These poor people weren't even at fault. They had to be locked up if they were a threat to anyone, or themselves. Why weren't they being treated?! They were just locked up.

Eventually, Manolo's room was found. The children were instructed to stay behind the gods until they said it was safe. He had gone crazy from loneliness once the divorce was final between him and Maria. Now the kids knew what people meant when they said "I'm crazy for you."

When they entered, they knew it was Manolo. He had that Sanchez curl. Only, he wasn't the same. He sat in the corner with his tray of food pushed away from him, and ran his hand across the floor like some type of animal was there. But there wasn't.

"Don't try any reasoning with him, kids. Leave this to us."

"Why?" Asked Sasha.

"Because he's too far gone, that's why." Said La Muerte.

She held out her hand to Manolo, and he accepted it very calmly.

"These are some of your fans, Manolo." She said, while pointing to the kids.

He looked at them with craze all over his face.

"Why does he look so empty?"

"Because he is."

When La Muerte saw he looked alright, she allowed the kids to go up to him and shake his hand.

"Why won't he speak?"

"He doesn't know how to, anymore. He let his anger make him act like an animal and so they treat him like one."

Sasha's tender little heart broke, and she ran to Manolo, and hugged him instead of shaking his hand.

He looked surprised at the girl.

"T-t-thank-you." He forced out.

He obviously was too sick to speak anymore, but the kids stayed and told him at how they adored him and his heart. He understood, he just didn't know how to tell them.

"No retreat." The kids said as they all put their hands out in a team-like way.

"N-n-n-o surrender." He said.

With everyone on the verge of tears, they said good-bye.

Now it was onto Maria's.


	4. Chapter 4: Maria's Cottage

Down the street the group went; it was time to visit Maria. The kids were really worried about her. When she was young, she was known to be a rebel and very fiery; especially for a brunette. But the thing is, that was like 100 years ago, and Manolo and Joaquin turned out to be the exact opposites of what they were when they were young.

What if Maria was just a cranky cat lady?

After stopping at a pizza place for the kids, they took a bus to her house. She had a very nice stony looking cottage with the classic white picket fence that shielded a colorful flower and vegetable garden.

As they started to enter the front, they were stopped by an older woman with grey curls up in a high ponytail, she wore a white top and a...red skirt.

She was wearing a sun hat and green gloves.

"Hey, who are you, and what are you doing on my property? Aren't you aware that it's quite rude and bold to just enter someone's yard without their permission?"

Ron stepped in front. "Excuse me, but we are looking for Maria Posada."

"Oh, well, you found her."

All the boys in the group dropped their jaws. When she removed her hat, she looked just as beautiful as she did at the age of 17.

She removed the gloves and shook all their hands.

"Forgive me for being so territorial. It's just that I don't get many visitors, it's almost like living in a bubble. Uh, come in for some lemonade, will you?"

"Thank you." they all said.

Her cottage looked so small on the outside and turned out to be quite roomy. They all looked around with their eyes and saw relic after relic. On her mantle sat a tin with the name General Posada on it and listed his birthday and death date. Guess with no living with her, her father's remains were probably the best she could do.

On the walls were painting after painting of she and Manolo, San Angel, and even Joaquin. They even noticed her fan that remained placed under the gargantuan painting of the Proposal Tree that sat right above the mantle.

Her fine china was cased in a special glass cabniet; until Maria entered with a plate of cupcakes and a tray with cups of lemonade. They were all very impressed with how she carried the plate in her hands and balanced the lemonade on her head like a post-peasant Cinderella.

Maria then walked over to get the china and made sure everyone had lemonade and a cupcake.

"These are delicious, Ms. Posada!" Said Ron

"Thank you. It's all homemade, from my lemon tree out back; it's been organically raised and grown, you know, and the cupcakes are my mom's recipe."

Sasha was about to speak, but then she saw a puppy bed in front of the fireplace.

"You have a puppy?"

"Oh, no, Dear, that's Chuy's bed."

"Chuy's still alive?"

"Oh, yes, and still very overprotective. It's like having a second father almost. Chuy! Come here, boy, we have guests!"

Slowly, the sound of hooves against the wooden floor got closer and closer. And out from behind the couch Maria was seated on, came a greying and very aged swine. When he saw them seated across from Maria, he immediately jumped in front of her and bleated at them; only to be stopped by his dry throat making him cough.

He still wore a leather black collar with a heart-shaped tag that vaguely read his name to whoever stopped to read: Chuy.

Maria told him to back off, that they were friendly, and rewarded him for his dilligence in keeping her safe with a cookie.

Once he received his reward, he lied at Maria's boots.

"So, what brings you all here?"

Sanjay spoke.

"Well, we know that The Three Amigos are no more."

Maria looked away, for a long time she tried to live her life like nothing ever happened. How did these children even know about her story, anyway?

"Just what do you know about that, young man?"

She looked at the guides, and soon enough, Kate and Ron transformed back into their true selves.

"We tell the story of Manolo, now at the museum down the block." Said Xibalba

Maria was so excited to see them once again. She hadn't seen them since Manolo became the hero of San Angel.

"This is so exciting!" She quickly turned and faced the sliding screen door by the back porch.

"Philip! Come here!"

Philip? Did Maria have a boyfriend now? Almost instantly, an older man, dressed like he worked for the city came through the door, removed his hat, and jumped for joy, when he saw the god couple.

They were very confused, how did he know them? Before they could even ask, the man glowed, and in a second, jaws once again dropped to the Candle Maker standing where Philip once was.

"Wait, why is the Candle Maker here?" Asked Luke

"Well, when he saw I was very lonely, and found he like living in the modern world, I agreed to let him be an assistant to me in my housekeeping."

"What are they doing here?" Candle Maker asked.

"They want to know about 'The Year' Maria answered.

Candle Maker frowned.

Maria reached for her lemonade, and took a sip. Before she spoke, she had to stand up and pace around the room.

"All I can say is that it was Manolo's fault. And I hate him for it."

"You never checked if it was really his fault?"

"I did. Every witness I talked to said it was him."

La Muerte lowered her head.

"He went crazy."

"What?"

"Manolo went mentally insane after the divorce; he's locked up in the mental house now."

"Good, because if he were here, I'd..."

She paused. And then growled as she threw her crystal glass across the room and watched it shatter into a million pieces against the wall. It reminded her of what happened to her heart that day. It broke.

She then pressed her hands up to her face and slowly dropped to her knees, sobbing.

The group decided to leave.

Sasha remained behind and said something that Maria truly took to heart.

"Don't hate him because he loves you."


End file.
